Summer is here – Dive into a book!

Man diving

Pick up a fabulous holiday read! Ten stories to lose yourself in. Whether your thing is medieval, Roman, Stuarts, Vikings, cosy crime, thriller, crime on the run or an alternative view of history, we have the perfect read for you. Click the pictures that intrigue you and plunge straight in. (Some even have special offers. […]

Home or away? Choose your setting

Writing class

“Write what you know!“

There’s a statement that was hammered home at us when we were newbie writers.

Well, I half obeyed when I wrote my first book INCEPTIO. Actually, it was less than that. I knew the military bit, I’d clambered over a lot of Roman Europe and I knew […]

The Agony of Anthologies? – Helen Hollick

Helen Hollick and short story collections

I’m always very pleased to welcome Helen Hollick to my writing blog. Known for her captivating storytelling and rich attention to historical detail, her historical fiction, nautical adventure series, cosy mysteries – and her short stories – skilfully invite readers to step into worlds where the boundaries between fact and fiction blend together.

[…]

Speaking at conferences - the truth

Alison speaking at the International Writers’ Festival, Dublin

Whether you’re invited or have submitted a pitch to speak at a conference it’s the same on the day. You have a mass of faces in front of you. You re alone in the arena and the lions are pacing back and forth, tongues salivating. The be-tunicked and be-toga-ed are watching, a smile on their […]

Marian Thorpe in 'Exile' On Shining Wings

Today I’m delighted to welcome Marian L Thorpe to my blog today. Taught to read at the age of three, words have been central to Marian’s life for as long as she can remember. A novelist, poet, and essayist, Marian has several degrees, none of which are related to writing. After two careers as […]